‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 23: 15 Characters Returning to Grey Sloan and the 2 Fan Favorites Who Won’t Be Back

After more than two decades on air, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ keeps doing what most TV dramas can only dream of — staying relevant long enough to trigger another round of anxious fan counting. ABC confirmed the renewal of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ for a twenty-third season as early as March 30, 2026, and with the Season 22 finale still fresh in viewers’ minds, the question on everyone’s lips is a familiar one: who exactly is coming back to Grey Sloan Memorial?

Part of the show’s appeal is its constantly rotating cast, which has kept Grey Sloan Memorial humming since the show’s debut in 2005. Season 23 is shaping up to be a pivotal year, blending the comfort of long-standing fan favorites with the sting of two very significant goodbyes.

The ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 23 Cast Returning to Grey Sloan

The backbone of the series remains firmly in place heading into the new season. The series’ cast currently includes original stars Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, and James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber, along with long-timers Camilla Luddington as Jo Wilson, Chris Carmack as Atticus “Link” Lincoln, Caterina Scorsone as Amelia Shepherd, and Anthony Hill as Winston Ndugu.

The newer generation of Grey Sloan residents is also expected back in full force. Newer additions to the cast include Alexis Floyd as Simone Griffith, Harry Shum Jr. as Benson “Blue” Kwan, Adelaide Kane as Jules Millin, and Trevor Jackson as Wes Bryant. Their storylines have increasingly carried the dramatic weight of recent seasons, and that trend looks set to continue.

James Pickens Jr. is expected to return as Dr. Richard Webber, coming off a difficult personal chapter in which he revealed he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer the previous year after a routine PSA blood test. Thankfully, the cancer was caught early, and he later underwent successful robotic surgery. His real-life resilience only deepens the emotional investment fans have in seeing Webber back in the halls of Grey Sloan.

With Jo having just given birth to twins on screen, Camilla Luddington is unlikely to be going anywhere. Meanwhile, Ellen Pompeo will return as the titular surgeon, appearing in the more downplayed capacity she has served since Season 19 as narrator, executive producer, and guest actress.

The Emotional Owen Hunt and Teddy Altman Departure

The exits that will define Season 23’s opening atmosphere are the departures of two of the show’s most enduring characters. Kevin McKidd and Kim Raver are officially leaving ‘Grey’s Anatomy‘ following the Season 22 finale, with ABC confirming back in March that both longtime cast members would exit the series as regulars after spending years portraying Dr. Owen Hunt and Dr. Teddy Altman.

The Season 22 finale saw Owen and Teddy make the decision to leave the hospital for Europe, with Owen heading to Paris for Teddy’s new job after a near-death experience involving a bridge collapse. It was a bittersweet sendoff for a couple whose relationship has been one of the most complicated in the show’s history.

Showrunner Meg Marinis did not hold back in paying tribute to both actors. She noted in a statement that Owen and Teddy’s love story evolved and deepened over many years, describing it as both bittersweet and joyful to give this couple the happy ending their story deserved, and adding that their contributions leave an indelible mark on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, both in front of and behind the camera.

Kevin McKidd acknowledged in his own statement that ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ had been a huge chapter of his life, creatively and personally, adding that playing Dr. Owen Hunt and directing on the show both shaped him enormously. For a character introduced in Season 3, it is the close of a chapter that spans more than fifteen years of television history.

Blue Kwan’s Uncertain Future and Other Cliffhangers

Not every Season 23 question comes down to confirmed exits. Some of the most talked-about drama heading into the new season involves characters in genuinely murky territory. Harry Shum Jr.’s future on the series became uncertain after Season 22 placed Dr. Benson “Blue” Kwan at the center of a major medical scandal, when Kwan secretly gave a patient an experimental hydrogel treatment that had not been approved by the FDA, hoping to save her life despite lacking consent to proceed.

In the penultimate episode of Season 22, Dr. Kwan was officially fired after it was discovered he had given the unapproved treatment to a patient. Despite the pitch he made to Richard about his record, the decision stood, leaving his return unresolved. Showrunner Marinis added further uncertainty when she told outlets that Kwan’s fate for Season 23 is still undecided.

Another relationship cliffhanger involves Nick Marsh, played by Scott Speedman, who arrived at the hospital in critical condition following the bridge collapse only for Meredith to propose marriage after his successful surgery.

Whether Nick will appear in Season 23 may hinge on outside factors. Marinis told Deadline that Nick’s involvement will depend on whether Scott Speedman’s other project moves forward, but that Speedman flew in on a Friday and filmed on a Saturday just to be part of the Season 22 finale, showing genuine commitment to the show.

What the New Season Means for ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Going Forward

The renewal itself speaks to an undeniable staying power. ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ averaged 2.213 million viewers per episode during its most recent cycle, with an impressive 40.9 billion minutes watched in 2025 across platforms, making it one of the most-streamed series in all of television.

Season 22 continued to shift the drama towards a brand new era of storytelling, with classic characters like Meredith, Bailey, and Webber maintaining their place as the show’s foundation while a new generation of characters gives viewers fresh emotional investments. The balance between honoring the past and pushing forward is the tightrope the series has walked for years, and Season 23 will test that balance more acutely than ever.

The show is already reducing the minimum guarantees for its veteran cast members, with some confirmed stars missing up to four episodes out of the season’s run as part of broader industry-wide budget cuts. It means the ensemble will feel slightly different each week, which fans have come to accept as the new normal.

With Owen and Teddy gone, Blue’s future hanging by a thread, and a possible Meredith and Nick wedding on the horizon, Season 23 is packed with enough emotional stakes to fill a Grey Sloan waiting room, so which farewell hit you hardest and which storyline are you most desperate to see resolved when the show returns?